170 FACT AGAINST FICTION. 



masters of hounds and huntsmen who have 

 suddenly jumped into sporting positions), if, 

 supposing the two soups to have been inducted 

 from the limbs of a bay horse and a grey horse, 

 they could tell me at a glance to which horse the 

 particular soup belonged ! I could define at once. 



There is another terrible curse on all kennels, 

 which totally bafiles all investigation as to its 

 origin, and that is known as ^^ the kennel lame- 

 ness." Whence it arises, where it comes from, or 

 why it goes or subsides, I cannot tell. The healthiest 

 hounds and dogs of all kinds are liable to it ; it will 

 begin and exist in the warmest, driest, and most 

 elaborately-cared-for kennels, and apj)ear in the 

 more damp and dingy situations as well. It has 

 nothing to do with the food the hounds eat, and 

 physic or friction has no effect upon it. Entire 

 kennels have been pulled down, and rebuilt on fresh 

 drainage, and warmed with stoves and hot air; 

 but such outlay has been in vain, — no immediately 

 visible benefit was obtained ; but in course of time 

 the kennel lameness vanished as causelessly as it 

 came on. Now, we often see that men who chance 

 to have a sick or lame dog, at a given moment 

 have assigned them some unusual thing at a time 



